Past the Breaking Point
by wencho17
Summary: Each person has their breaking point, that point where you have to ask yourself, is it worth it? For Joe (Roman Reigns), that point was on Raw when the crowd cheered as Paul (Triple H) beat him senselessly. Following the crowd reactions ever since the Rumble, one has to wonder what is going through his head and how he'll be able to reconcile his thoughts as it relates to his future
1. Monday Night Realization

**A/N – I don't normally write non-kayfabe, in fact this is my first such story, but after Fastlane and Raw last night, I had to get some thoughts on paper. And since I've been told I get into characters' heads pretty well, here is my attempt at getting into Joe's and Paul's following Monday night's assault.**

It was one thing for the crowd to boo him at Fastlane as he stood victorious after pinning Jon for the 1-2-3. In fact, Joe had pretty much expected it given the reactions he had been receiving ever since the disaster that was the Royal Rumble. But what happened on Monday night, he certainly wasn't expecting.

Joe had been booed as a babyface before so that really wasn't anything new. He thought there were limits though to how much the crowd actually honestly disliked him and he truly thought those limits included getting pedigreed onto the steel steps, a crimson mask covering his face.

But no, they didn't. In fact, not only was he booed but Paul, playing the part of the perceived heel in this situation, was being praised. The crowd cheered for "Triple H" and demanded the pedigree "one more time." And then they engaged in Daniel Bryan's famed "Yes!" chants as Paul slammed his head repeatedly against the announce table.

To say this wasn't the reaction Joe had expected would have been an understatement and to say that all of it wasn't starting to get to him, well, that would just be a downright lie. Let's just say, he never quite became immune to the incessant booing the way Vince and others had assured him he would.

Paul stood atop the steps holding the title high in the air and the crowd continued to cheer him, the guy who was the villain, the bad guy. They cheered him on to the first victory in the duo's war.

Trying to stop the fans from chanting his name, Paul took a quick glance down at Joe who was flat with his back on the ground. He could tell Joe wasn't selling an injury and that he had actually, probably during his match against the League of Nations, messed up his shoulder given the way it was positioned. The blood, that part was fake, but the fans weren't supposed to know that. They were supposed to believe as Michael Cole had said, that "Roman was busted open."

Paul sighed and offered his opponent a slight nod indicating the segment was over. It was all he could do at this point as it was clear any further attack would only lead the crowd to cheer him more, not to draw the ire and heat it was meant to.

This was supposed to be Joe's moment, his road to Wrestlemania. This was supposed to be his triumphant narrative. He was supposed to be greeted with cheers not boos and chants of "Roman sucks."

He was the man who would be king and Paul was ready to complete the coronation.

But if the road continued on as it did that night, the coronation, which was happening regardless, would be met with disdain and disappointment, outrage and agitation. Joe would stand atop the mountain but he'd do so as hundreds of thousands of boos rained down on him, and unlike last time, there would be no cash-in to save the crowd from leaving unsatisfied, unhappy.

That would be his Wrestlemania moment, a chapter in his legacy, despite that not being at all what Vince and Paul had wanted for him.

See Paul knew that Joe had a thicker skin than most but he could tell tonight especially, the reaction being such the opposite of what they had assumed backstage, that it was starting to get to him. Paul saw in the former and soon-to-be future champ's eyes, the sad realization or resignation rather, that this was the way things were going to be. That no matter how hard he worked, how much he improved both in the ring and on the mic, no matter what he did, the crowd just wouldn't accept him the way Vince had intended.

Paul took another deep breath, offering Joe a soft glance as if to say, "just hang in there kid."

He knew this was tough but there was such a reward at the end of the tunnel. Joe had gotten the chance to improbably experience that once before as Vince managed to get him over in front of a tough Philly crowd. Paul was sure his father-in-law would magically be able to do it again.

Joe just needed to hang in there a little bit longer, just put on that fake mask and keep up appearances for a little bit longer.

However, as Paul knew and as anybody in Joe's position would likely tell you, the concept of going through the motions, especially given the harsh backlash, was easier said than done. It was a lot to manage and that was without all of the expectations.

Again, Paul could relate. He didn't come from a wrestling dynasty like Joe did but he married into one. He felt Vince's pressure to succeed the way he guessed Joe felt when it came to emulating the success of his cousin or his father or uncle.

So knowing Joe had so much on his plate, Paul just hoped he could channel Triple H's darkest, most vicious side, using it to get Roman Reigns over with the WWE universe. At the very least, he sure as hell was going to try.

The crowd began to leave the arena but not before voicing their opinions and their annoyance at continually being ignored by WWE brass.

The fans booed vociferously all the way out the door, hoping that Vince would finally take notice and stop shoving Roman Reigns down their throats. They didn't want him to be champion and given they cheered one of the most devious heels the company has ever seen, they were convinced that much was clear. If these fans had their way, they'd push Roman Reigns off a cliff much the way they pushed Daniel Bryan into winning the WWE title.

Joe took one last sympathetic look at Paul before the referees and medics came over to tend to the kayfabe injuries and one real one, he had sustained. Paul just nodded slightly, wishing there was something more he could do or say.

He understood far better than Joe would ever know just what kind of hell being in that position was.

Although, to be fair, even when he received the loudest vocal opposition, he did so as one of the company's top heels. So getting booed was part of the job for Hunter Hearst Helmsley, for 'The Game,' 'The Cerebral Assassin,' Triple H, almost from day one. The Roman Reigns character however was a babyface.

So Paul knew and he knew Joe did too, that this reaction of loud and unceasing displeasure, wasn't supposed to happen, especially not in the light of a viciously savage beat down.

Paul left the ring, title slung across his shoulder, thankful he didn't have to smile as the crowd cheered him and his heinous assault. They were supposed to be booing him for that. It didn't make him feel good that they weren't especially as it came at Joe's expense.

Joe, as was scripted, shook off the medics, and followed closely behind. Of course, not before being given an exit serenade, one last chorus of those deafening boos. He felt defeated as the remaining members of the crowd channeled their inner Bray Wyatt with chants of "Anyone but you Roman," ringing out loud and clear.

Taking a deep breath, Joe smiled as confidently as he could manage, holding up appearances until the very second he disappeared behind the curtain. It was then that he allowed his face to fall in disappointment, in pained anguish.

He was quickly met by an intern who handed him a towel to wipe the "blood" off of his face. Joe thanked him and then began to head toward his locker room. He just wanted the night, or rather the past two nights, to be over. No more boos, no more hurtful chants, just a skype call with his daughter and then some much needed sleep.

Before he could do any of that though, Joe was met backstage by Paul, who had intentionally stayed close by the curtain, having anticipated the young superstar might need a comforting and encouraging word.

"You did great out there champ," he smiled, winking as he looked at the belt draped over his left arm. "It's as good as yours. I'm just keeping it warm."

"Thanks," Joe muttered still unable to ignore the boos which echoed in the back of his head. "But you heard them out there last night. They were pulling for Jon, hell even for Brock. It was booked as a triple threat with three babyfaces so I became the defacto heel. They needed someone to boo and well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that fell on me. And then tonight. I don't know why I thought things would be any different. They hate me and not because I'm a heel, not because I'm getting heat. No, they just genuinely don't want me to succeed."

Joe took a deep breath before glancing at the belt. The one that was once his and that was scripted to be his again. At least for now. He knew better than anyone just how quickly those things could change. And given tonight, given last night, he wouldn't be surprised if that was exactly what happened.

"This is the last thing they want from the Wrestlemania main event," he said, his eyes locked on the title. "They don't want me in the match let alone walking out as the champion. They'd rather have you keep it and you're a part-time guy. So is Brock. And yet, here we are. The universe prefers them over me. Anyone but Roman. I heard it loud and clear."

All of this was upsetting Joe and it was clear now this was taking a bigger toll than Paul originally assumed. He could only imagine the impact this was having on Joe's psyche and couldn't help but wonder just how much longer he'd be able to take it if things continued along this path.

Paul tried to shake off those thoughts. Losing Joe was not an option.

"There's only one person, one opinion you have to worry about in this business and that guy has all of the confidence in the world in you, you know that right?" Paul tried to assure him. "Vince has your back 100 percent and that's more than I can say for a lot of the guys in this company including Jon and Colby. You're his guy Joe, Roman Reigns is his guy."

Joe just looked at Paul. He knew Vince backed him as the top guy but times like tonight made him wonder just how long the boss could and would have faith in a performer such as himself, who was constantly drawing the opposite reaction he was supposed to.

"Well he does and you are," Paul continued amidst his colleague's silence. "There's a reason he pushed you so hard last year to improve and you have. Joe, you are so much better in that ring than when you first came up in 2012. You've gotten crisper and your timing is much better. You know how to take bumps and I've never doubted you've known how to give them. And this is coming from a guy who took his fair share of spears last year. Vince appreciates that hard work and talent and kid, you've got both."

Joe sighed heavily. The compliments were overwhelming and incredibly appreciative. But he was having a hard time believing them. See, when the crowd is constantly rooting against you, booing during a tag team match when and only when you are in the ring, when no matter what you do to get them on your side fails, well, it's kind of hard to stay positive.

So maybe his bosses saw him in the way Paul was describing but Joe didn't. He didn't see that guy when he looked in the mirror and at the end of the day that was all that mattered.

"I know it's easier said than done but don't let them get to you," Paul added reassuringly. "We've all been there and you know what, they learn. They learn that things would be a hell of a lot worse if we weren't around. So keep your head up and smile, a real bonafide smile fitting of a previous and soon-to-be future champion. You keep doing that and they'll have no choice but to rally behind you and you can believe that."

Paul winked and Joe managed to offer a slight chuckle in response, causing the older man to display his, or rather his character's signature smirk.

"That's more like it," Paul said simply as the pair's walk ended at Joe's locker room door. "Just remember, those growing pains are real and we all go through them. Just ask your cousin. Fans chanted 'Die Rocky Die,' for quite some time before they accepted him. And look at a guy like John. My point is, you can talk to me and you can talk to any of the guys here. Don't ever feel like you are alone because you're not."

 _Yeah, but have any of those guys literally been met with alternating boos and cheers based on when they landed a punch as opposed to when their opponents did? Have any of them been booed out of more than one building, not for being a heel, but for genuinely being disliked? Have any of them been the last guy in the locker room the fans wanted to see as champion not once, not twice but three times?_

 _He didn't think so._

"Thanks," Joe said softly, deciding not to repeat out loud what he had just thought to himself. What good would it have done anyway? It's not like Paul or anyone else could do anything about it. All they would have to offer is pity and apologies that weren't theirs to give. No, Joe didn't want that, he didn't want any of that.

But Paul wasn't stupid and he could tell there was more on Joe's mind than what he was saying.

"Oh and one more thing," he added before he could get too far down the hallway. "If all of this is really getting to you, please, just promise you'll come talk to me before you make any sort of big decisions, okay?"

It was like Paul was reading his mind.

"I'm not going to quit," Joe replied insincerely, not sure if he was trying to convince himself or Paul in that moment.

"I know," the older man simply replied. "Just, come to me if you need to talk about anything. Anything."

There was an unspoken silence between the two, both fully aware of exactly the words they weren't saying. Joe had nothing else to say and Paul was being respectful of that while also not pushing his own agenda.

There was a conversation there that might be for another day, but until then, he knew this was Paul's way of saying they weren't going to bring up the future until Joe was ready to talk about it. He had a lot on his mind right now and Paul understood.

And for that, Joe was much more grateful than the simple nod he offered the man as he walked down the rest of the long hallway, would seem to suggest.

 **Thoughts?**


	2. Closer than Brothers

**A/N – So I had kind of planned this as a one-shot but I decided to continue. Not sure where it's going to end up going or how many more chapters after this, but I have some ideas. So, enjoy part two and give me some feedback if you can. Thanks!**

Joe closed the locker room door behind him, thankful that he was finally alone. Although judging by the clothes heaped in the corner and the fact that he could distinctly hear the sound of water shutting off, he knew it was only a matter of time before Jon joined him.

This wasn't really a problem. After all, he and Jon were best friends. They had come up in the business together, sharing time at FCW, and then got even closer as they spent time both inside and outside of the ring united as members of the Shield.

As close as Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose were, Joe and Jon were even closer.

And while seeing Jon and shooting the breeze would be a nice distraction, Joe was still feeling pretty down. Although his talk with Paul had helped a little, he still just didn't get it and it got to a point where that was really starting to wear on him.

What more did he have to do to get over with those people if getting beaten to a bloody pulp didn't do it? They felt no sympathy for him so if anything, Vince's plan had backfired.

Traditional and perceived heel/face dynamics were being thrown out the window, shot to hell even, if this was going to be the reaction, the result. So if tonight had done anything, it was simply that, providing a preview of what could and likely would happen at Wrestlemania.

Joe saw the writing on the wall. Roman Reigns would enter as the babyface and Triple H the heel, but it wouldn't matter. Paul's character would be cheered and his would be booed and there wasn't a damn thing he could do to stop it.

Honestly, it was incredibly frustrating, especially given just how much effort and hard work he had put into building himself as the best superstar he could be. He had spent a whole year trying to get over with these fans and it was easily the most trying period of his entire career.

But then, something magical happened, something miraculous even.

It was early in December when it happened, about 11 months after the Royal Rumble where he was booed out of the building, which no, was not an exaggeration. But it was in that same place, that same arena in Philadelphia.

The turnaround really all began at Survivor Series. He wasn't the favorite to win the title by any means. In fact, most fans still booed as they had wanted Jon to be the champion. But for those five glorious minutes and 15 sections, everything was good. Joe had been told prior to the show that there would be a cash-in so he was prepared. What he wasn't prepared for however was for the fans to actually kind of start to rally behind him.

This continued leading up to TLC and again after. Joe had given Paul a scripted beating meant to show a sense of frustration at continually being screwed coming to the surface. He unleashed a side of Roman Reigns that night that fans had never seen and they loved it. It was the first time in a long time he remembered getting cheered. It was as if they actually wanted him to be champion.

Joe got to see that theory tested as that next night on Raw, back in Philadelphia, he won the title to a reaction of excitement and yes, cheers, actual cheers. At first he wasn't sure if the crowd was just cheering for the sheer unpredictability that was a title changing hands on TV and not a PPV, but when the fans began to chant, "You deserve it," he knew that they were cheering for him.

There was no greater feeling. That horrible year had been put behind him. He was ready to move on as a champion the WWE universe could respect.

But as quickly as the adulation came, it was gone.

Joe never imagined that the year of hard work would be washed away in less than two months and that he would be back to where he started, entering a Wrestlemania main event as anything but the guy the fans want to see leave as champion.

Two months ago he was the one giving the senseless beating and being cheered for it. Now, he was made to take a similar beating while his opponent was the one getting the cheers.

In fact, if it were possible, Joe thought he might have even been in a worse position than before. Because at least he didn't walk out champion at that Wrestlemania. When he did this time around, he knew the sound would be so loud he wouldn't be able to hear himself think.

Although maybe that wasn't such a bad thing given his thoughts these days seemed to center around the lines of if being in the WWE was really worth it after all.

There was just short of one year left before his five year deal signed back in 2011 would be expiring and he would be a liar if he said he hadn't at least thought about leaving the company. In fact, he had been outright dodging calls from Mark Carrano, who was informing him that it was almost time the two sides came to the table to discuss a new deal.

It wasn't really that he wanted to leave, it wasn't that at all. It was just he wasn't sure that mentally he could handle it anymore. He was a good guy, a decent guy, and these fans just wanted him to fail. He did have thick skin but hearing them cheer his assault that night was kind of the proverbial straw to break the camel's back.

Joe took a deep breath as he heard the bathroom door creak open. Thinking like this would get him nowhere, especially with Jon around. That man could read faces, especially his own, better than anyone, and the last thing Joe wanted or needed was for Jon to see that something big was dancing around in his mind.

He hadn't even made a decision himself so there was no use talking about "what ifs" and "maybes" anyway.

So instead of dwelling on those what-ifs and maybes, Joe just smiled as he made eye contact with his best friend.

"Hell of a segment you had back there with Brock," he said, hoping to steer the conversation for as long as he could. "How's your head holding up?"

"Ya mean after last night?" Jon replied sarcastically. "After Brock basically botched that suplex and could have broken my neck? Yeah, I feel just dandy."

Joe just nodded. "Yeah, it normally takes until the second or third one that he figures out your body weight and how to perfectly land you. I would know seeing as I took about a dozen, not all of them that pretty."

This didn't really do anything to help Jon's mood. "You'd think after losing Bryan to concussions and Will (Christian) before that, that maybe we'd get a little more accountability on head injuries. I mean Brock has always had a reputation as not being the safest worker but dude could have ended my career."

"And yet, you didn't raise a single complaint when Vince told you this morning you guys were going to have a match at Wrestlemania," Joe smiled.

Jon threw the towel he had been using to dry his hair at his friend before smiling and laughing himself. "What's life without a couple of risks?"

Joe shrugged. "Guess you're right about that."

"Of course I am," Jon replied. "But enough about my Wrestlemania match, let's talk about yours. Paul made that ass kicking look real good out there. Sure there were no accidental injuries, ya know AOPs I should be worried about?"

Joe just rolled his eyes. "I know that you're not really a fan of the boss's son-in-law but he's a pro's pro, he would never do anything like that. If you're referencing my shoulder then yeah, it probably got tweaked when I was fending off the whole League of Nations. Not even 100 percent positive it didn't happen last night."

"Maybe, maybe not," Jon shrugged. "Just saying you've got to watch out for the guy. Colbs didn't and look what happened to him."

"Colby got injured because he landed awkwardly trying to powerbomb Glenn (Kane) off the top rope," Joe corrected. "Not Paul's fault."

"Paul booked the match so, was his fault," Jon continued to argue.

Joe put his hands in the air in retreat. "You're clearly in a confrontational mood so I'm waving the white flag. Let's just drop the topic about Paul okay?"

Jon relented, realizing his playful banter had seemed to strike a nerve, which given how close the two men were, certainly was a rare occurrence. "Sorry man, it's just, normally you're not so quick to defend the guy. Did something happen recently I should know about?"

Joe took a deep breath. "It's nothing really, just that, well, let's just say he can be a pretty decent guy when he wants to be. He's not always that asshole you remember from back during the Shield days. He's mellowed since then and I think NXT is a big reason why. We weren't really down there all that long but look at Colby. Paul genuinely cares about him. I think he does about all of us, all of you know, the NXT guys."

Jon raised his eyebrow curiously. He had never heard Joe talk so, well, kindly about Paul before. Frankly it was a little weird, a little… suspicious.

"Just don't go joining the Authority on me okay?" he said half-jokingly. "Dean Ambrose wouldn't be too pleased at that development. He might even have to kick Roman Reigns' ass for it. Ya know, in character."

Joe couldn't help but laugh at the prospect of the heel turn it would take for him to join the Authority. It was something that he had considered in the past and it's not like he had never done it before. After all, his first WWE role was as a heel, just this bad-ass, takes no prisoners, muscle of the Shield.

He liked that Roman Reigns, he missed that Roman Reigns.

And not to mention, he was already being treated like a heel. He was being booed for being attacked. Babyfaces don't typically draw those kinds of reactions. The fans had turned on him and he was pretty convinced they hated him. So why not go dark side for a while? It would allow Vince to pretend like the boos were just a result of heel heat, even if they both knew any negative reaction was still more a result of him being hated by the crowds.

So yeah on the one hand, it made sense, it made a lot of sense.

On the other, there was no person more stubborn on the entirety of God's green earth than Vincent Kennedy McMahon. He would not rest until Roman was the top face of the company, even if his efforts thus far had been disastrous at best.

Booking him to defend the title in the Royal Rumble, of course having him draw the number one entrant spot. Yeah, those things worked for Steve years ago but there was no way it would work for him. And it didn't. He could feel the tension building. No one wanted to see one vs all where one was victorious from the top spot.

And then the match itself. He had talked to Paul about it beforehand and begged him to tell Vince to reconsider. But, much to his lack of surprise, Vince was deadest on the idea. Joe was to be attacked by the League of Nations stable and forced to the back early on in the event.

Well, just as he expected, the Orlando crowd, who had seemingly picked up the booing right where Philadelphia had left off, didn't want him to win from the start. When he returned, of course, with only a few guys one of them being Jon, still in the ring, he was greeted to a very negative reaction. Again, it may have surprised Vince but it didn't surprise Joe at all. He knew there was no way he'd get away with leaving the match and when he came back no-selling any sort of injury, which to be fair was a mistake he made on his own, he knew the crowd would be as angry as they were.

At that point, they had been pulling for Allen (AJ Styles), they had been pulling for Chris, they had been pulling for Jon. Hell, they even started pulling for Stephen (Sheamus) at one point, much as Philadelphia had cheered on Miroslav (Rusev) the year prior. And then at #30 came Paul and they started pulling for him.

Joe knew the plan had been to have him and Paul as the final two in the ring, but he also knew the crowd reaction would play into it. So when he returned to the ring, Joe gave Jon and Paul the signal from Vince. Paul proceeded to eliminate him and the crowd went wild.

He knew that the fans didn't really want Paul to win, but at that point they knew he wasn't going to and that seemed to be all that mattered. Not to mention, Joe knew the fans wanted to believe that Jon had a shot at winning the title just like at Fastlane even if they probably knew he wasn't going to as much as the guys in the locker room did.

And again, bringing everything back to that terrible booking. Joe didn't understand how it made sense to put him in the middle of a feud with Jon and Brock and then literally make him an afterthought. Leading up to Fastlane, the narrative had become a David and Goliath sort of thing with fans wanting to see the Dean Ambrose character conquer the Beast. But Joe, he didn't really play into it, not until the end.

So in addition to fans, especially the know-it-all IWC who most of the guys in the back couldn't stand, already being annoyed that he was going to win and main event Wrestlemania like they pretty much knew would happen all along, they had something else to be mad about and that was the fact that they didn't even want him in the match to begin with.

But the booking woes didn't seem to deter Vince who continued to try to work Joe's character as a top face, a Cena 2.0 so to speak, by having him attacked by Paul. Well, clearly that had the complete opposite effect and now here he was, back where he had been a year ago, back in a place where he wasn't sure he wanted to be much longer.

"Hey, yo, earth to Joe, earth to the big guy," Jon said, finally causing Joe to jolt from his own thoughts.

"Sorry, didn't realize I,"

"Went like radio silent for five minutes?" Jon finished his sentence for him. "You were really in your head there. Did this have to do with what I said about Paul? About the Authority? Look dude, I was just messing with you. If that's the creative they've got in mind, I won't stand in the way. Well, I won't stand in the way much."

Joe smiled. "Always injecting your patented wit huh?"

Jon shrugged. "Someone's got to lighten up this room. Ever since Raw went off the air tonight, I,"

Biting his lip nervously, Jon forced himself to pause. He knew Joe was in a bad state right now and talking about Raw or even Fastlane probably wasn't the best idea.

"Maybe it is a better idea to just talk about my match," Jon said quickly, hoping to change the subject.

Joe just sighed. "I appreciate what you are trying to do but its fine. I know you probably really want to talk about Fastlane. We can. It's fine. I'm fine."

"I'm probably going to regret this but are you?" Jon asked despite his misgivings.

Joe shrugged. There wasn't much else he could do. Was he fine? No, not really, but it wasn't as if he could tell Jon that. He'd want to help and Joe wasn't even sure if he could.

"I'm the heir apparent to the greatest throne in sports entertainment," he said light-heartedly. "Why wouldn't I be fine?"

"Right," Jon said.

"I'll ask them to turn me heel," he added somewhat out of the blue. "I'll ask them to turn me heel and just go after you like crazy and we can play up the betrayal thing and people will feel for you. That will get your over. That will get the crowd back on your side."

Joe sighed. He wasn't really angry. After all he knew Jon had good intentions, but this was exactly the problem with Paul. He didn't want their pity. He was sick of people – the guys in back, the guys on creative, some of the fans. He was sick of people feeling sorry for the fact that he couldn't get over with the WWE Universe.

"Thanks but no thanks," Joe said simply, hoping to avoid a fight.

But Jon couldn't just leave well enough alone.

"Are you sure, I've been wanting to let loose as a heel anyway and this is the perfect opportunity, plus the crowd loves me and,"

"I said no dammit," Joe exploded, his fists slamming the metal cabinet door. "And what you just said, that's why. They cheered Paul, freakin' Triple H. That guy has been the top heel for years, maybe ever. How the hell do you think they would react to you? You're move over than the damn moon. You start beating me up as a heel? You'll get that babyface pop you always have. So, you want to help me, how about I stop having to tag with you, stop having to show up in your defense. Every time, every time when I play the hero, I end up with shit on my face not you. They'll never cheer me over you Jon. It's just the way it is."

He saw the look on his friend's face and immediately felt guilty. "Sorry," he deadpanned.

Jon just shook his head. Honestly, he was still kind of in shock because in a lot of ways his character and Joe's character were both based off of very real personality traits. Like Roman, Joe was the calm and collected one. He wasn't the type to just burst into anger like that. No, that was more Jon's MO and of course Dean's as a result.

So knowing Joe as well as he did, Jon realized this must have really and finally gotten to a breaking point after all these agonizing months. Jon could only imagine, key word, what his friend was going through. He wished there was something more he could do to help but given the way his last offer was received, Jon decided for now, maybe the best thing he do was give Joe some distance.

"You don't need to apologize," Jon said, already knowing exactly what he was going to do next.

Joe just looked up at him, the pain and uncertainty evident on his face. "I do," he said softly. "Jon, I never meant to,"

"No," Jon interrupted. "It's fine. I get it. I'm not the right person to help you. Not out there in the ring, not back here in the locker room."

"You're mad at me," Joe replied.

Jon bit his lip hesitantly before shaking his head. "I'm not mad, not really. I just think its best if for now, maybe I give you some space to sort things through ya know? You and I are kind of at different places right now."

Joe nodded slightly. He couldn't disagree. It wasn't that he begrudged Jon any of his success because he didn't, not at all. He just didn't want his pity and more than that he didn't want Jon to feel guilty. And as well as Jon knew Joe, Joe knew Jon the same. He knew if he allowed himself to explode again, he'd end up telling Jon everything and that wasn't what either of them needed.

"Being in different places," Joe repeated with a slight chuckle. "That never got in our way before."

Jon shrugged. "Neither of us were ever coming off of the kind of situation you are," he said, choosing his words carefully. "We're always going to be friends, closer than brothers."

Joe smiled. "I'd hate to bring you down with my crap, not when you're right there, climbing the top of the mountain."

"That's why I think you should talk to someone else, someone not me," Jon replied, handing Joe his phone, a specific contact showing on the screen.

Joe arched his brow and Jon just shrugged, almost as if to say, "It can't hurt." But then he got in the real reason for his plan.

"They say misery loves company," he smirked as he threw on a jacket, zipped it up and headed for the door. "Seems like right now you both could use each other."

Joe continued to stare at the phone, still not sure about Jon's suggestion.

"Give him a call, but you know, with your phone" Jon added as he walked back into the room and grabbed the object from Joe's hand with a smile. "I know you have his number. At the very least, I'm sure he'll be glad to hear from you. Who knows, maybe he'll have a unique perspective to offer on whatever it is you can't talk to me about. He's always good with that."

Planning to follow through with calling his old friend or not, Joe couldn't argue Jon's logic. So he took out his phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Here goes nothing."


	3. The Long Flight Home

By the time Joe got off the plane at the Orlando International Airport, he was exhausted. Mentally, physically, emotionally exhausted.

He had found out about the change of plans necessitating the flight about an hour after Monday's Raw went off the air. In the middle of his phone call with Colby, Vince had called him into the office. Instead of driving to Indianapolis with Jon like he had planned, for the Smackdown tapings later that day, Joe would be on a plane back home to get surgery for a deviated septum.

Joe tried to argue that the surgery could wait until after Wrestlemania, given it had waited months already, but Vince was adamant. Of course, Joe knew the real reason. He could see it plain as day on Paul's face, who sat in on the meeting as well.

This was to keep him off TV. This was in response to getting booed after getting the crap kicked out of him. Sure he needed the surgery. That part was real, but it was all too convenient to have him appear backstage, blood coming out of his nose. Which of course, reported as having been broken in the fight.

Vince chose not to confirm or deny as either response would serve as an indictment, one requiring him to admit that maybe just maybe he had booked the wrong Wrestlemania main event. Instead, he just handed Joe the ticket and told him his flight left at noon.

Knowing this was a losing battle, Joe didn't bother arguing. He was already drained enough that even if he wanted to, he didn't think he had it in him to complain or question the boss anyway. So instead, he left Jon a note, packed up his things, and headed to the airport.

Of course, it wouldn't be Detroit if the flight wasn't delayed, which it was, for a whopping five hours, giving Joe all the time in the world to get caught up in his thoughts. Ordinarily, this wasn't a bad thing, but given how his brain was trying to process everything, trying to make these decisions about the future, spare time was the last thing he needed.

And on top of his own mental anguish and building frustration, it was about three hours into the delay that Joe opened an email sent to him from one of the superstars, an email with a video attachment that clearly showed Bryan (Byron Saxton) handing him the blood packet that was used to create the visuals from Monday's brawl.

He'd probably get heat from this as both him and Paul knew from the beginning that Vince was against using blood and threatened that if it wasn't done perfectly, he wouldn't be happy. But more than that, it was just one more thing the fans had, one more thing that made the supposed injury he sustained in the match seem every bit as fake as it actually was.

At least before, they could pass off him missing TV for the operation but now, now that went out the window and it was obvious that the fans were going to see right through Vince's so-called "bulletproof" plan. They would know the real reason he was missing TV for the next two to four weeks depending on Vince's mood.

Boston, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago.

That's why Joe was going to miss upcoming Raw and Smackdown tapings. It was because the Road to Wrestlemania were big shows that ran through big cities. They were shows that, understandably, Vince didn't want booed.

Joe wanted to bang his head against the wall but instead, it was his cell phone that took the punishment as he whipped it against one of the bathroom doors in just pure frustration. Obviously not a smart idea given the attention it drew, not to mention it took away his main method of communication, something he needed to call for his ride home from the airport.

Vince in his generosity and attempt to keep Joe out of the public eye for as long as possible, offered to have a driver ready for him when the plane arrived in Orlando to take him home to Pensacola where he would be having the operation. The only problem with that was, Joe had no intentions of going home, at least not that first night.

As much as he wanted to kiss his wife and wrap his arms around his baby girl, there was too much on his mind, too much he could barely deal with himself, for him to do that. So, he had a Plan B, one that offered that temporary respite from going back to Pensacola, quite frankly in his mind, as a failure.

Joe walked up to the front desk, smiling occasionally at the fan girls who dreamily eyed him as they passed by.

"Hi Linda," he said, reading the woman's name tag. "Unfortunately, I seem to have broken my phone. Would I be able to use yours or one at a service desk?"

The woman looked up at him and seemed almost star struck. "You're Roman Reigns."

Joe nodded. "I am. It's nice to meet you," he said extending his hand.

The woman kindly shook back. "I don't know much about pro wrestling but my son just adores you. He never stops talking about you."

Joe smiled back, perhaps the first real one he had managed in over a day.

"That's very kind of you to say," he responded. "Would you like me to sign something for him?"

"Oh, no I couldn't ask that," Linda said.

"You're not asking," Joe replied as he tried to find something in his bag that would suffice for an autograph. Finally, he pulled out his flight itinerary. It wasn't much but it was printed on WWE stationary at least.

"What's his name?" Joe asked as Linda handed him a pen.

"Joey," the woman replied happily. "He's six."

"I like that name," Joe chuckled as he began to write on the piece of paper. "To my biggest fan Joey, thanks for supporting the Roman Empire. Because of you, we can, we did and we will again in Dallas. Believe that."

Joe signed his name, or rather, his character's and handed the paper back to the boy's mom.

"He's going to love this Mr. Reigns, thank you!" she beamed.

"I'm always happy to do something for a fan," Joe replied sincerely.

As hollow as it sounded given the way the fans had turned on him, there was truth in every word.

"So, you need to make a phone call?" Linda said, remembering the reason he had come over to talk to her in the first place.

"If you wouldn't mind," Joe replied.

Linda smiled. "Even if I did mind, which I most certainly don't, after what you did for my son, I'd even let you make two phone calls."

Joe smiled back as she handed him one of the desk phones. "It's 83 to dial out."

 **A/N – Sorry for the short chapter here, but it came to my attention that I hadn't updated this in a while and that I'm still a long way away from its natural conclusion at Wrestlemania. So, here is a little bonus in between that first Raw and the upcoming Smackdown. Thanks for being patient! As always, keep those reviews coming and I will try, promise I'll try, to upload a little quicker.**

 **Oh and PS, ya'll were right about the phone call, which yes I know, I didn't do a chapter on. Doesn't mean we're not about to hear from Colby real soon though ;)**


	4. What if I Don't Know What I Want?

It had only been an hour later when the front desk informed Joe that his ride was waiting for him outside in the airport pick-up lane. He thanked the man and headed toward the blue sedan, unable to hide his amusement at the fact that his best friend of close to five years now was still driving the same vehicle did when the two first met.

"And here I thought WWE paid you enough so that you could get a brand shiny new car, ya know, one that doesn't have over 100,000 miles on it and that hasn't driven cross country multiple times," Joe said as he leaned against the open passenger window.

Colby just rolled his eyes. "You don't talk about Lucinda like that! She and I have been through it all and I wouldn't dream of letting her go. My relationship with her has lasted longer than any I've ever had with a woman."

"I mean, it's not hard to top a month," Joe smirked, which caused the other man to laugh himself.

"Well, you're certainly in a better mood than you were when we were on the phone last night," Colby replied as he popped Lucinda's trunk, allowing Joe to place his bags in the car. "What changed between now and then?"

"Honestly?" Joe said, "Just seeing a friendly face. These past 24 hours plus have been taxing to say the least. But seeing your goofy self and your old ass car. I didn't know how much I needed that so thanks. And not just for that, but for listening to me rant the other night and for offering to pick me up when I said I needed some time to sort through some things before going back to see Galina and JoJo."

Colby just nodded. He had known Joe now for almost five years and they had been close friends for just as long. Not to mention, he was really good at reading people and it didn't take long into their phone conversation for him to realize that something was nagging at the Samoan. Like, something bigger than just the way he had been trying to handle the crowds and their opinions of him as of late. Something much bigger.

"Lucinda says 'you're welcome' for the ride," Colby teased as he considered how he might convince Joe to open up to him during the two days they would be staying together at his apartment. "She also says thank you for the gas and pizza and beer you are going to buy on our way back to my place."

"Pizza and beer huh?" Joe smiled. "You don't eat pizza and I honestly can't remember the last time I saw you with a drink in your hand. Oh wait, yes I do, it was at the Slammys. In fact if I recall, you got pretty hammered that night and you and Jon almost got into a fight."

Colby hung his head.

"I really should have known better than to get drunk and pick a fight with the one guy on the roster who doesn't take anybody's crap least of all mine," he said as he remembered the night and incident in question. "I really should apologize to both of you though. My behavior that night, the things I said, you of all people didn't deserve to be on the receiving end."

Joe just shrugged as Colby pulled the car out from the spot and the two began the drive back to his place in Orlando.

"No really," Colby continued, feeling his earlier apology wasn't enough. "I know it didn't seem like it but I was honestly really happy to see you guys. Five months was way too long."

"You didn't exactly seem thrilled to see us," Joe replied. "As I remember it, you were just kind of miserable about the whole thing."

"I was, happy to see you guys that is," Colby said. "But you're right I was miserable and kind of an insufferable ass to everybody. You guys didn't deserve it. You were just there to welcome me back and I should have been grateful. I just didn't want to be back there just to hobble out onto the stage and get a stupid award ya know? I wanted to be back in that ring. But obviously that wasn't going to happen so I had to accept it and move on. Or as Paul said, 'stop being a whiny bitch.'"

"Paul said that?" Joe commented in disbelief. "I would have expected him to be a little more encouraging."

"Well," Colby said as the memory of the conversation was coming back to him, "maybe it was Stephanie, but Paul nodded along. The point being, they were both right."

Just like that, the two fell into a bit of an awkward silence as Joe's mind once again was unable to stop thinking about Raw and about what Paul had said to him after the show went off the air. It was actually really good advice, something Joe wasn't exactly accustomed to. At least, as far as it coming from the boss was concerned.

It wasn't that they were enemies, butting heads at every turn like Paul and Jon, but they weren't close either, not in the way Colby was with the man he had always considered one of his mentors. In fact, they were just kind of neutral toward one another, with their conversations minimal and almost exclusively focused on work. It was very much a strict employer/employee relationship.

But ever since their paths crossed with this championship storyline, the latest in what had previously been nothing more than failed attempts to get Joe over with the crowd, the Samoan found Paul to be a source of wisdom and experience. The man openly and willingly offered his advice and honestly seemed genuine about his concern following the Raw reaction no one, well except for Joe, could have expected.

If Joe hadn't known better he would have thought it was some kind of invasion of the body snatchers sort of deal. This was a different guy. Or maybe, it wasn't. Maybe it was just Joe seeing a different side to him, one that Colby had been exposed to in NXT and always spoke so fondly about.

There really was only one person who could confirm that and fortunately for Joe, he was sitting right next to him.

"Mind if I ask you something?" Joe said, breaking the silence which had perpetrated the car for the past five minutes.

"Sure," Colby replied. "Anything."

Joe nodded his head. "You guys are close right? You and Paul I mean."

Colby bit his lip. He wasn't exactly expecting that. Of all the questions Joe could have asked him, that was probably pretty low on the list. Not that he had a problem answering it however, more that lately he wasn't exactly sure what his relationship was like with Paul. In fact, ever since he went behind the man's back or the way Paul saw it, over his head, to get Vince to agree to his use of the pedigree as a new finisher, things between the two weren't exactly at their best. It also didn't help that with his injury, his rehab and his timetable for return, the two were practically at odds with all of it.

"Define close," Colby responded, deciding now probably wasn't the right time to go into detail with Joe about all of that. After all, this was about Colby getting answers out of him not the other way around.

"You know what I mean," Joe just rolled his eyes. "You always used to talk about the kind of mentor he was to you in NXT. How he guided you and helped you become the superstar you are today. So that means you trust him right? You value his opinion?"

Now that was an entirely different line of questioning and one that Colby felt more equipped to answer.

"I'd kind of be stupid not to," he said after a few seconds. "After all, the guy has been in this business forever and he's quite literally married to it at this point. He knows the ins and outs, the ups and downs. Honestly, he's an asset and if you get on his good side, it's only going to benefit you in the long run. Trust me, I know that all too well. He did make me champion remember?"

"How could I forget?" Joe replied bitterly.

It wasn't that the brass putting the belt on Colby bothered him because it didn't. He was thrilled for his best friend because he knew how hard the man had worked for his spot. Sure it helped that like he said, he was on Paul's good side, but Joe knew that Colby's success was his own.

What bothered him was the fact that it was an 11th hour decision and that Vince opted to pull the rug out from under him just hours before the show began. It had been so quick, he hadn't even had the chance to tell his dad, who had been so proud and so happy thinking it was going to be his son's moment.

What bothered him was that Vince made the decision because he didn't want the show of shows booed off the air. What bothered him was the thought in the back of his mind that maybe just maybe the man would do it again this time around.

"Sorry Colbs, I didn't mean it to come off like that," he apologized, remembering Colby already felt guilty about how everything had gone down that night.

Joe remembered the conversation the two had. Admittedly, he had been unhappy at hearing Vince's decision and Colby wasn't exactly the first person he wanted to talk to about it. But when Joe saw that the younger man wasn't even allowing himself to be excited about his first major title reign, it bothered him. It bothered him that he was the reason Colby wasn't enjoying what should have been the happiest moment of his career.

The only thing he could do was tell Colby it was okay and that it wasn't his fault. That Vince made the decision and that he was truly happy for him. At the very least, he was going to try his best to be. Joe knew Colby still felt like he was stealing that moment away from him, but the two made peace and at the end of the night, he was the first one to give the new champion his props.

"I know you didn't," Colby responded. "But it would have been okay if you did. You have the right to be upset about it but I get the feeling there is more to this."

"What do you mean?" Joe asked, although he already knew exactly what his friend was hinting at.

"You're worried aren't you?" Colby asked carefully as the two pulled into the driveway. He examined the man's demeanor closely. "You're worried that because of last year, what's to stop Vince from pulling the same stunt again? Or maybe even Paul convincing the old man to keep the belt on him."

Joe sighed heavily. "Actually, that last thought hadn't even crossed my mind."

Now it was Colby's turn to sigh as he slammed his head into the steering wheel causing the horn to go off. "Sorry, didn't mean to put that thought in your head. In fact ignore it because it's not going to happen. I mean, it's probably not going to happen. Paul's a nice guy and all but it wouldn't be the first time he decided to put himself over as opposed to one of the talents."

Joe frowned, again causing Colby to realize his mouth had gotten him into trouble.

"Dammit, okay, seriously, don't listen to me," he replied, trying with no success to walk back the comments.

"No," Joe simply replied as he got out of the car. "It's cool. In fact, that's why I'm here. I can always count on you to shoot straight with me, to not hold anything back, to be honest. I think that's what I need right now given there is a lot that I've got to think about. A lot of decisions I'm gonna have to start making real soon."

Colby nodded. "I'll tell ya what. Since it would appear that I got distracted and forgot to make our dinner stop, how about you get comfortable inside and I'll be back in like 20 minutes. That will give you some time to sort through what's going on in that head of yours. Sound good?"

"There's really no need," Joe tried to argue, knowing time alone with his thoughts was the last thing he wanted or needed. "Besides, your hospitality is more than enough. How about I get dinner and you relax. You've already done more than enough for me so let me return the favor."

"Tempting," Colby said. "But no one drives Lucinda but me. Key's under the mat. Like I said, 20 minutes."

Joe just shook his head as Colby pulled out of the driveway. He forgot the weird attachment the man had to his car. It was never an argument he was going to win, not when it came to Lucinda.

-

Fortunately, 20 minutes came a lot quicker than Joe had expected as it seemed in no time Colby was back with the pizza and a six pack of beer in hand.

"There's more in the car should we need it," he explained as he sat his keys down on the table, next to a piece of mail he had just brought in with him, the WWE logo imprinted on the upper left-hand corner.

"What's that?" Joe asked as his attention immediately went to the envelope.

Colby shrugged as he began to open it. "Ah yup," he said, confirming what he had already figured it to be. "It's from Carrano, about my new contract. They want me to go over it and see if the terms are good. Judging from the initial conversation Mark and I had though, I don't see why I wouldn't be signing on for another three years. How bout you? Did you two have that talk yet? I bet they're offering you something crazy good."

Joe took a deep breath. "Actually Colbs, we haven't. I've been ducking his calls."

Colby looked confused. "Ducking his calls? Why? You and I both know those contracts we all inked back when the Shield came up are almost expired. And dude, you're the top babyface. There's no reason you won't be able to get exactly what you want."

The older man looked at his friend, carefully considering his next words and if he was really ready to have the conversation he had been having with himself a lot over the past few weeks. The one where he had to decide if he wanted that new contract or if he wanted to just leave the WWE behind. Right now, his mind was probably 50/50.

"What if I don't know what I want?" Joe questioned.

"I'm sure both sides can agree on something," Colby replied.

"No Colbs, I meant, what if WWE isn't what I want?" he asked again.

"Oh," Colby said as he digested the news. "I knew things were bad and you were going through a rough patch with the fans and the booking and all, but dude I didn't know it was that bad that you were thinking about quitting, about walking away."

Joe shrugged. "Yeah," he replied thickly. "But, it doesn't matter because I can't quit. I shouldn't even be thinking about it. Seriously, what would my dad think? What would Dwayne say if I quit after he invested all that time in trying to help get me over? It's not his fault it didn't work but what would that say about how I received his efforts? And what about Jon and Josh (Jimmy and Jey Uso)? This job, this is my family business. How could I turn my back on that, on them? So for all that talk, I'm never going to be able to away even if I wanted to and honestly, I'm not sure I do. I just don't want to make a decision in the heat of the moment. I think Paul was right about that."

Colby wasn't sure what to say or what if anything there was he could do to try to help Joe through this. He had never seen the man seem so vulnerable, so lost. But there he was talking about quitting. Never in Colby's wildest imagination would he ever had thought he would have heard those words come out of Joe's mouth.

The fans may not have wanted to acknowledge it or believe it, but WWE was everything to Joe. He gave his blood and sweat and tears as much as Colby did himself, as much as Jon, as much as most of the guys in the back. And in a lot of ways, he gave it more than them because Joe had a legacy to live up to and constantly felt like he had something to prove. Colby knew this firsthand. He spent close to two years working with him as closely as two wrestlers could. He knew the dedication, the effort, the passion. He knew everything Joe put into wanting to be the best and desperately wanting to get the acceptance from the fans.

Colby knew they booed him because they didn't see him the way he and Jon did, the way Vince did. That was why he made the decision to elevate Joe to the top of the card. It was because he saw the commitment he had to the business, to making his family proud, to being the next name in a line of success stories to come out of the best dynasty the wrestling world had ever known.

The fact that the fans couldn't see that, the fact that they felt the need to get on him about every little thing infuriated Colby. And as it seemed, had broken Joe. Because him even entertaining not signing on the dotted line spoke volumes.

"At the end of the day, you don't do this for them," Colby responded, finally finding what he hoped would be the right words. "Not for the fans, not for the guys in the back, not for the Wild Samoans. You do this for you. And as much as I would miss the hell out of you if you left, you have to do what you need to do, what makes you happy. Because you don't want to be miserable. You don't want to go through your career acting the way I was that night at the Slammys. So I guess what I'm saying is, I'm not going to try to convince you to stay if that's not what you want. But if it is, I'll continue to be your number one supporter and you can believe that."

"You and Paul have seriously been spending too much time together because honestly, that's part of the same speech he gave me," Joe replied. "I mean not the part about the Slammys or being my number one supporter but about having to do this for myself. I think you're both right. Maybe this break is just what I need, a chance to clear my head, to really mull my options. Maybe I'll finally stop dwelling on all of this shit and just let it go."

"I think that's best," Colby said as he patted his friend on the shoulder. "Wow, all that deep stuff and we didn't even need to open the brews. Guess you needed to talk this out more than you thought."

Joe smiled. "Guess so. And hey, for what it's worth, you're really easy to talk to. Like, didn't even push and it just came out. Jon doesn't even know any of this yet although I guess I should tell him at some point."

"Make your decision first," Colby said as he passed Joe an open beer and took one for himself. "Because you and I both know that he's going to try to talk you into staying no matter what."

"You have a point there," Joe conceded. "You know he's gonna be pissed though when he finds out I told you first."

Colby just smirked. "I'll try not to rub it in too much the next time I see him as long as you promise me something."

"Oh and what's that?" Joe asked.

"Promise me that you will consider everything when you make this decision," Colby began. "Not just last night or last week or last month. Promise me you'll go over your whole career with a fine toothed comb, that you'll consider what you're accomplished and what you still want to accomplish. Leave no stone unturned and have no regrets. Deal?"

There was a reason Joe didn't hide his feelings and what was weighing on him from Colby. It was because of comments like that. Not only did the man not pull punches when it came to his opinion on something but he was a hell of an advice giver as well. And more than that, he was a friend and all he wanted was to put Joe's needs first.

"Deal," he replied. He owed Colby that much but more importantly he owed it to himself.

 **A/N - Sorry it took me forever to update this but hopefully the brotherly fluff makes up for it ;) I've just been so busy and yeah. But recent inspiration struck and I've had this kind of floating around my head and half written on my computer for about a month or so and I just wanted to finish it. Next chapter is Smackdown, and I hope I get a chance to write it soon! As always, I'd love to get your thoughts!**


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